Partners
by Leasel P
Summary: May and Coulson finally address their relationship while planning their first real holiday together. Pre-series, set one week before Bahrain.


**Partners**

So I've been quite sick the past few days which has meant an obnoxious amount of time spent in bed. The up side of this is I've been doing a LOT of writing (so expect a few more Coulson/May stories to pop up over the next few days.) Not really sure if this story has May and Coulson in character but the idea came to me and I decided to run with it.

I kind of like the thought that at some point in time Coulson and May had a talk about what they were and where they were going. I do find it depressing I've set this one week before Bahrain but I think their relationship is a broken one (to some degree) and the idea of them being an actual couple in the past never sat right with me. So this is my alternative. I'll be posting a story over the next few days set in Bahrain which will be a stand-alone but it can also be read as a carry on from this.

Enjoy :)

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Coulson leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching May move around her kitchen. The smell had wafted out onto the balcony, prompting him to ignore her stern warning to let her cook in peace. She looked so at ease and unburdened as she glided around the kitchen cooking their dinner. It had been a while since he had seen domestic May and he was enjoying every second of it.

"Either help me or go away." Her words startled him out of his trance. Making his way into the kitchen he figured the most helpful thing he could do was refill her wine glass.

"We have two weeks mandatory vacation when we get back from Bahrain."

"Mmm" May brought the spoon to her mouth and tried her sauce. Satisfied with the taste she went about turning everything off.

"Lets go to Hawaii." Coulson said as he pulled two plates out of the cupboard. He tried to sound casual but knew he failed when she froze, her wine glass halfway to her mouth.

"What?" She had her back to him so he couldn't see her face.

"We deserve a break. And I want to spend mine with you. We could spend everyday doing whatever we want, swimming, hiking, sailing, anything. We could have drinks by the ocean of an evening, moonlight walks and every night I'd get to fall asleep next to you. It'd be just like old times, minus the dangerous mission and dodgy accommodation." He half joked, trying to lighten the mood.

May gave him a small smile over her shoulder. Coulson moved around the island and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pulling her against him he kissed her shoulder.

"What do you think?"

"That does sound nice."

"Nice?" Coulson said in disbelief. "It sounds like paradise." He turned her around and smiled at her stern expression.

"What's your angle?" she asked suspiciously. They had been away together before but never like this. It was usually a two or three day trip between mission, just enough time to collect themselves before they had to go again.

"I've been wanting to sleep with you for a while now and Hawaii seems like the place to make my move." His comment was met with a hard smack to the chest as May tried to push him away. He knew that if she really wanted to get out of his embrace she was more than capable, but the fact she still remained in his arms meant more to him than he cared to admit.

"There is no angle on this Melinda. We haven't been alone together for more than 24hours in 12months." He traced his thumb down her jaw line before tipping her head up towards his. Staring into her eyes he was overwhelmed with the warmth he saw there. "I just want you to myself for two weeks. Hell, I don't even care if we go to Hawaii. We can stay right here in your flat, so long as I get to spend it with you."

"That sounds very intimate." They both knew what she was really saying. Holidaying together like that sounded very serious and very much like a couple. They had never directly discussed what was going on between them and since moving away from undercover work their time together had gotten less and less frequent.

"Only if you want it to be." Coulson said with a shrug. He immediately saw from the look on May's face that his words had come out the wrong way.

"You don't want it to be?" He mentally kicked himself. Melinda May unsure of herself was something Coulson had only ever seen twice before. He had just become the reason for her third time and he didn't like the feeling. He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. She had her eyes closed; one of her hands now resting on his heart while the other had snaked around his waist.

"I want you in my life Melinda. But the type of relationship we have is up to you. It always has been. You want me to be your friend; I will be here for you no matter what. You want me to be your lover then you know I'm up for that. But if you want me to be your partner, then I'll be the happiest man on Earth."

Mays eyes flew open to meet his. Feelings weren't something either one of them expressed particularly well. Over the years they had learnt to read each other; actions meant more than words to them and they could count the amount of times they had verbally expressed any feelings towards each other on one hand.

"You already are my partner Phil." She whispered, her lips just grazing his. "You always have been." She leaned up to close the distance between them. She kissed him slowly, pulling him as close to her as humanly possible. She wanted to convey to him all the things she couldn't say, make him understand just how much he meant to her. Pulling apart she couldn't help but smile at the stupid grin on his face.

"So we're going to Hawaii then?"

"I'd like that."

"I'll go book the tickets. This is going to be great."

Serving up their dinner May couldn't help but get excited. The next two weeks couldn't go quick enough.


End file.
